


Love and Hate (Or When You're Middle Man)

by ozsia



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Drabble, Eventual Relationships, M/M, Snapshots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-30
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-07-11 04:08:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7027921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ozsia/pseuds/ozsia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tsuna gets on with his own relationship, grows fed up and pushes his two best friends into their own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love and Hate (Or When You're Middle Man)

Magnets, Tsuna had learnt, could both repeal and attract another if the right end connected – or the wrong (depending on what reaction you wanted). Looking at his two best friends reminded him of that theory as weird as it was to equate something so scientific to such emotive people.

But the evidence was hard _not_ to see. Gokudera would push and push against Yamamoto and in return Yamamoto would push back. Ordinarily this would sound like a terribly antagonistic relationship but the interactions seemed to only serve to force them closer together.

Of course, Tsuna was the metal that got stuck between the two of them – not that he was really complaining, but it was hard; it was _hard_  watching all that animosity born from what Tsuna now understood was affection, and how it _hurt_ two people who he cared about.

‘- when are you going to learn, Baseball Freak! You’re a Guardian to the Tenth!’ Gokudera snapped as he stood face to face with Yamamoto, who was leaning against the shoe lockers. Tsuna was in the process of changing back into his outdoor shoes had been listening to this argument since Yamamoto had mentioned (sheepish and apologetic), that baseball practice would be running over and that he couldn’t walk with them today.

Mount Gokudera had erupted like he was still prone to do if Yamamoto _dared_ inconvenience the great Tenth!... Or some such ridiculousness that Tsuna was beginning to train his “Right-hand” out of.

‘Ma ma.’ Yamamoto gestured calmly which usually only served to irritate Gokudera further. ‘The coach insisted that I couldn’t skip this one.’

Good grief. Tsuna sighed as he glanced at the two from underneath his fringe – which had been growing annoying quickly recently, along with the rest of his mane – and couldn’t help but see the lines that had been unwittingly drawn; not a toe across, as they squared shoulders. 

Gokudera was a firecracker in short terms: explosive and ready to go off on the faintest of sparks while Yamamoto had cool steel in him which made him unrelenting despite his easy nature. Opposites but….

‘Gokudera’ Tsuna said as he straightened, his voice clear of the frustration he felt as he turned to put his indoor shoes inside his locker. ‘I don’t mind that Yamamoto can’t walk with us today,’ he continued as he glanced at the pitcher who had the faintest look of discomfort on his face, eyes glinting unhappily that Gokudera was probably too bullheaded to see.

‘B-but Tenth! He –’

Tsuna struggled with keeping his form straight when all he wanted to do was pull on his hair. He was older and held more patience, nearing seventeen, however Gokudera had been getting more volatile with every passing day on accounts to Yamamoto. 

Tsuna couldn’t see it as anything but unreasonable. Trouble was, it wasn’t really much of his business: they had to work it out themselves. And he honestly doubted he wouldn’t damage their relationship further by sticking his nose in because as unfortunate as it was, he seemed to be one of the few _hundred_ sore spots his friends had with each other.

Tsuna holds up a silencing hand and Yamamoto relaxes, like he always does when Tsuna stops Gokudera on a tirade.

‘”He” has a name, Gokudera.’ Tsuna chides softly even as he picked up on his Storm Guardian’s discomfort. ‘Besides I really don’t see what the problem is,’ he doesn’t indicate that he understands Gokudera’s worries with the ever present threat of injury or death from the Mafia, even if that _was_ why Gokudera was blowing up like he was.

Even if the only place Tsuna really found safe was being at his tutor’s side nowadays, that didn’t mean he was prepared to take his friends away from what they loved to do. It just wasn’t fair to anyone. ‘Tenth–’ Gokudera frowned but Tsuna shook his head.

‘Reborn will know if we get held back by... _them_ ,’ Tsuna reminds in a hushed voice. “Them” meaning just about any Mafiosi who gets the idea to come after the next Gen. It was nearing that time now, the time where he’d succeed the Ninth and somehow his location had been leaked. If he ad to take a guess it was probably his father's fault.

‘Of course, but Reborn-san isn’t _here._ And we can’t lower our guards.’ Gokudera states doggedly, a dangerous protective gleam in his eyes as he glances aggressively back to Yamamoto who was starting to look like he truly regretted his baseball. Again.

Tsuna understood to some extent - okay, so he knew with every fibre of his being - that things were tense. The sniper had been a nice wake up call for all of them but that was one of the reasons _why_ he was still so adamant about the small things.

It may be a huge hole in security but Tsuna truly believed that he’d be letting Yamamoto down if he allowed him to quit the baseball club, like he had offered a few times at the Guardian meetings.

‘I understand that, Gokudera, but I hope _you_ understand that the new timetable is strict. A minute late and Reborn’s following our tracker and Bianca’s watching the house.’ It had been decided upon for at least a month now and although Tsuna found it intrusive, he preferred no privacy to no _pulse._

Something in Gokudera’s expression faltered. ‘I...I know, Tenth.’ He said, voice much lower than it had been as his arms drooped.

Tsuna’s smile felt strained, even to himself, but he was tired and so _worried._ Turning to Yamamoto who looked far older than he had any place to, Tsuna gestured in the opposite directions. ‘Well, then, get going. You’re going to be late again.’

‘Tenth! He -’

‘Has practice’ Tsuna interjected. And _Kami,_ he just wanted his bed and a dark room. ‘Honestly, Gokudera, you act like I’ll be walking home alone.’ Which was honestly never happening again. His freedom had long since flown away. ‘You’ll be with me. We’re going straight there, no distractions, no detours.’

Gokudera’s mouth shut and he shifted but still didn’t move. Tsuna mused to himself that at the rate they were going, they’d end up being late which would force Reborn to come track them down and Yamamoto would end up missing practice anyway.

Teal eyes flickered to the floor before Gokudera glanced at Yamamoto before muttering, ‘w-what about the Idiot?’

Tsuna blinked but than again, he really should have guessed as he huffed in resigned affection. ‘Hibari’s doing me the favour of patrolling after school activities.’ It’d probably cost him. He’d most likely be paying in blood and bruises but...that didn’t scare him all that much, anymore.

On a side note...

Slapping Yamamoto’s bicep, Tsuna smiled widely (both his Guardians’ instantly pulled back, paling) and cooed: ‘Isn’t that nice Yamamoto? Having a _friend_ that _cares_ about you so much?’

‘A-ah...' Yamamoto blushed uneasily.

’T-Tenth! Thats-! I don’t -!’ Gokudera stuttered, face burning even as he stiffly allowed Tsuna to pull him forward and loop his arms around their necks, forcing the two Guardians within an uncomfortable distance to one another, with a group hug. Both of which tried to subtly shy away.

‘Ne? Isn’t it great that your _relationship_ has _developed_ so well? I’m. So. Happy!’ Tsuna annunciated, beaming and all good cheer that a lot of the students nearby glanced over, before quickly looking away again.

Their reputation proceeded them.

Both Guardians’ - with faces inches apart and flush against one another and _stuck_ by the steel which was Tsuna’s arms - glanced helplessly at each other, and decided that the safest route would be to just go along with it.


End file.
